WASHINGTON, D.C., April 1, 2009 — The number of defense contracting fraud and corruption cases sent by government investigators to prosecutors dropped precipitously under the Bush administration, even as contracting by the Defense Department almost doubled, according to “Fraud Cases Fell While Pentagon Contracts Surged,” a new investigative story by the Center for Public Integrity.

Defense contracting grew from about $200 billion in fiscal year 1993 at the start of the Clinton presidency to nearly $400 billion in fiscal year 2008 at the end of President George W. Bush's administration (1993 dollars adjusted for inflation to 2008 dollars). But Defense Department investigators during the Bush administration sent 76 percent fewer contracting fraud and corruption cases to the Justice Department for potential criminal prosecution than under Clinton, according to Justice Department data analyzed by the Center. Referral statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation reflected a similar trend.

The drop in prosecutions appears to be the result of regulatory and legislative changes, shifting priorities and declining manpower and expertise. The result, says William G. Dupree, a former top official of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, is that "no one is minding the store."

The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit, nonpartisan and independent digital news organization specializing in original investigative journalism and research on significant public policy issues. Since 1990, the Washington, D.C.-based Center has released more than 475 investigative reports and 17 books to provide greater transparency and accountability of government and other institutions. It has received the prestigious George Polk Award and more than 32 other national journalism awards and 18 finalist nominations from national organizations, including PEN USA, Investigative Reporters and Editors, Society of Environmental Journalists, and National Press Foundation. In 2007, the Society of Professional Journalists recognized three Center projects with first-place online awards — the only organization that year to be recognized with three awards. The Center has been honored with the Online News Association’s coveted General Excellence Award, and a special citation for the body of its investigative work from the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. www.publicintegrity.org